March 17 only is a week away. I did not appreciate that holiday until I reached the legal age to consume alcohol and had moved to the City of Chicago.  By the time I moved to Indianapolis, I looked forward to March 17 as a day to party. I also discovered Conner's Pub, a few blocks from my apartment.

   Nowadays Conner's has become too crowded on March 17. A tent is rented to accommodate the overflow of the crowds. I do not like to feel like a sardine when I have a beer.

  …

   A phrase can be used by political cheerleaders. We are "The Land of the Free"! Alternate that with a chant of "U--S--A!" and see how many people stand up to question the validity of the former.

   1) Prisons. We have 25% of the world's inmate population, but only five percent of the World's total population. The War on Drugs---a "war" that has cost tens of billions of dollars, ruined many lives with felony convictions, and resulted in a loss on that weird battlefield---has engorged…

   At 11 a.m Saturday: How free is America? Guest panelist and Indianapolis attorney Ginny Maxwell will join us.

   My answer to the question: not very. We have 25% of the World's prison inmate population, yet we have only five percent of the World's population. That's one statistic with which I will support my position.

   We can speak freely about our government. Of course, the government keeps lists of people to "watch"---on the basis of what people say, write, blog---hello…

   Yesterday afternoon the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana-Indianapolis Division ruled against the plaintiffs in Goodpaster. et al v. City of Indianapolis, a lawsuit brought by bar 11 owners and a customer against the City over the ordinance, effective June 1, 2012, that bans smoking in most bars in Marion County. As many of you know, I am co-counsel for the plaintiffs in that lawsuit. At a later time I will write about the substantive issues of the case.…

   In response to a question posed in letter from United States Senator Rand Paul, United States Attorney General Eric Holder replied that President Obama is authorized by the Constitution to use drones to attack United States citizens on United States soil.

   That concept, at first, shocked me. Then I read the full statement.

   A.G. Holder explained that in a narrow set of extreme circumstances---such as a Pearl Harbor-style (does that mean a carrier-launched…

   Last Wednesday I wrote about two bills before the Indiana Senate that address the selection of delegates to a constitutional convention, were one to be convened under provisions of Article V of the United States Constitution. Imagine the media frenzy that could ensue if such an event took place ...

 CNN:  This is Wolf Blitzer from the Situation Room where you have The Best Coverage of the Constitutional Convention. Later this hour we will have interviews of the chairs of several of…

   On "Civil Discourse Now" we have discussed and explored issues and topics other than those related to politics. Last summer we were at the Indianapolis International Film Festival. Last fall we discussed Islam with Mikal Saahir, a local imam.

   This Saturday, March 2, at 11 a.m. we will stream "live" from the Isaacs' Center of Peace and our guest will be Marilene Isaacs. On her center's website, Marilene is described:

     "Marilene is a mystic, natural healer and intuitive…

   The Indiana House of Representatives has passed a bill that requires recipients of welfare to undergo drug tests. HB1483 first requires an applicant for TANF to fill out a written questionnaire and, if identified as a possible abuser of drugs, take a urine test. Some have speculated about the format and contents of the questionnaire, said to be incredibly accurate in determining whether a person is a "drug abuser."

   Here at "Civil Discourse Now," through advanced techniques of…

   Indiana Senate Bills 224 and 225 provide guidelines and restrictions for Indiana delegates to a constitutional convention.

   What? The last constitutional convention was held in 1787. Delegates met in Philadelphia ostensibly to make corrections and improvements to the Articles of Confederation. Stewart, The Summer of 1787, 2007, p. 10. Eighteen of the 73 delegates did not attend. Patrick Henry refused to attend, claiming he "smelt a rat" in Philadelphia. What ensued was a…

   40 years ago this very date, about two years after Richard Nixon declared war on drugs, I got high for the first time. A classmate, a recent transfer to our school district, was very cute. She blew of several jocks who had flirted with her, but when I talked to her in French class, the topic of getting high arose. I had smoked, once, but not "gotten off." I told her the first part of that, but not the second in my effort to sound debonair. She asked me if I wanted to get high. I said sure…

   Today on Civil Discourse Now we will discuss public and mass transit in Indianapolis and in Indiana, as well as other topics. The Show will stream "live" from Harry C’s at 5055 South Dearborn on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our guest panelists will be Gary Welsh ("Adance Indiana") and Matt Stone ("Indy Student"). You can listen to Civil Discourse Now on Indiana Talks, part of Live365. Or you can tune in on this website or on U Stream. Better yet, you can go to Harry C’s, order some…

   This week on Civil Discourse Now we will discuss public and mass transit in Indianapolis and in Indiana. The Show will stream "live" from Harry C’s at 5055 South Dearborn on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our guest panelists will be Sheila Suess Kennedy, Gary Welsh, and Matt Stone. You can listen to Civil Discourse Now on Indiana Talks, part of Live365. Or you can tune in on this website. Better yet, you can go to Harry C’s, order some good food, and see The Show for yourself.

   The costs of ownership of an automobile are significant. First, one faces the purchase price of the vehicle. Second, the car has to (should) be insured.  Third, there is a liquid to be poured into the tank on a regular basis. That liquid is not cheap. Fourth, if the car is bought new, in Indiana the plates are more expensive and sales tax higher. The "up" side is most repairs are covered by warranty. Fifth, one has to worry about where to park the vehicle. Work downtown? Parking can be…

   Yesterday I drove to Beech Grove for a meeting with clients. I never had seen the Amtrak facilities. As I passed the place, I was startled to see the engine from a bullet train and several cars from long-distance, double-decker trains. The buildings are huge.

   My grandfather was a fireman on the Monon Railroad and was killed in a crossing accident in Huntington in 1939. I rode trains a lot when I lived in Chicago and, later, Berwyn. The transit was reliable and relieved me of the…

   Here are some solutions to the problems of our economy and society today. Label me or pigeonhole me as you will (or already have).

   1) Re-re-distribute the wealth in this country. In 1981, the president-who-shall-remain-nameless (or you-know-who) set about crushing unions and giving greater consideration to CEOs than line-workers and, thus, gutted the middle class. Money was taken from those who earned it and palmed off to those who inherited it. The lower the socioeconomic class…

   Unmanned aerial vehicles, otherwise known as "drones," will be main topic of discussion as, on Civil Discourse Now we stream "live"—audio on IndianaTalks dot com or Live365 and go to "talk shows"; video on Ustream or this website—from the Indy Cigar Bar today, February 16, 2013.  Join us at the Indy Cigar Bar at 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

   Our guest panelists will be: 

   JoAnne Lingle who is a full-time peace and justice activist focusing on anti-war and Middle Eastern issues.…

   The distinctive feature of the State—a convenient term to use for the sovereign authority of a society—is the recognition it has a monopoly on the use of violence to enforce its decisions.

   One best example is in enforcement of laws. If a person uses a firearm to rob a bank, law enforcement officers are authorized to use similar, lethal force to apprehend the person. Of course, if that bank robber had taken the time to obtain an MBA and go to work for a major bank—and if someone…

   The past few weeks, the format of "Civil Discourse Now" has changed a bit. We have tried to focus discussion on one topic, but also spend time on other events in the news. As always, we try to shoot at establishments of local merchants.

   This Saturday The Show will stream "live"—audio on IndianaTalks dot com or Live365 and go to "talk shows"; video on Ustream or this website—from the Indy Cigar Bar. The focus of our discussion will be the United States government’s use of…

   This is a tale of two trials. Of the two, pick the trial that dominated the front page of what used to be the daily newspaper with the largest circulation in Indiana.

   One trial is a Federal criminal prosecution in which the liberty of two individuals is at stake. The other trial is a Federal civil lawsuit in which a multi-million-dollar corporation has sued and been counter-sued by a multi-millionaire.

   One trial involves allegations that the defendants, one of whom has…

   Unlike Charles Foster Kane, I did not sit down one night and write a "Declaration of Principles." The Show only has two rules: (1) Don’t wears stripes and (2) Don’t talk at the same time as someone else. There are goals for what we do, although those goals never have been stated specifically as such. We seek to inform and educate—ourselves and guests as well as our audience. We seek to address topics of interest in ways and from perspectives people might not have encountered. We try to…